Newsletter 1 - project CARES

CAREER ACCESSIBILITY FOR RESILIENT EMPLOYMENT IN STEMM

CARES PROJECT PARTNERS Academy for International Science and Research (AISR)

WELCOME TO CARES

Horizont ProConsult" EOOD – Bulgaria

FABLAB MESSINA - Italy

The CARES Project has been awarded with Erasmus+

EURO-NET – Italy

funding within the framework of 'Strategic partnerships for school education - cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices". The

Liceul Tehnologic "Valeriu Braniste" - Romania

project will run for 28 months, from September 2020 to December 2022 and it is coordinated by the Academy for International Science and Research

SAMSUN IL MILLI EGITIM MUDURLUGU - Turkey

(AISR), UK. The project consortium is composed of 6 other partners.

HILAL DOGU AKADEMI

- Turkey

2020-1-UK01-KA201-078909

PROJECT KICK-OFF MEETING Due to COVID-19 lockdown and travel restrictions, the kickoff meeting took place online, on the 2nd November 2020.

AISR hosted the meeting and the partners' representatives, project managers/coordinators participated in this meeting.

The kick-off meeting focused on the background and overall aims and objectives of the project. Project implementation, communication channels and management procedures formed key part of this meeting. The partners also introduced themselves and their institutions to the consortium.

The Kick-Off Meeting was deemed to have been a great success and highly beneficial in laying solid foundations for future cooperation and the efficient and effective implementation of the upcoming activities.

PROJECT OVERVIEW The CARES Project aims to raise interest in and awareness of the range of exciting careers in STEMM (current and future careers). This project will help to develop students to become lifelong learners of science, technology and mathematics, enabling them to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Through the successful implementation of this project there will be an increase in the number of students choosing STEMM subjects in upper primary/secondary schools, with those progressing to STEMM pathways in Further or Higher Education and taking up careers in STEMM. It was found that the STEMM sector had a significant gender gap, therefore the project partners will work together to increase participation of females in STEMM education and careers whilst ensuring young people sustain their involvement in their STEMM education.

With all of these factors considered it will also ensure that students’ learning in STEMM disciplines significantly improves, including the further development of their skills such as problem-solving, inquiry-based learning and team working to address demands from the world of work whilst creating a community environment that promotes and supports STEMM.

THE INSTITUTIONAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL LEVEL OVERVIEW This project was developed based on the urgent need to tackle poor careers advice and guidance in schools, and to address the STEM skills gap and gender imbalances in STEM. The project output will provide valid and up to date careers guidance to students. Thus the project will have an effect on three levels: At an institutional level, the project will maximise the impacts of internationalisation as a process with the potential to further develop and strengthen management structures, international relations, educational services, and to further develop strategic policies related to the internationalisation of education, research, student and staff mobility, and educational technology development.

At national level, the project supports the science community, government agencies and bodies and other organisations which are contributing to addressing the challenge of future STEM skills and gender imbalance in STEM. The project also allows the partner institutions to have cross-European meetings, exchanges and discussions including multiplier events, on how the project's activities can be adapted by other teachers/schools/education providers/NGOs.

At an international level, the project supports the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu), which provides a general reference frame to support the development of educator-specific digital competences in Europe. DigCompEdu is directed towards educators at all levels of education, from early childhood and this project will support educators' pedagogic competences and demonstrate how digital technologies can be used to enhance and innovate education and training and it will also help to develop digital, subject specific and transversal competencies in both educators and students.

Additionally, the project also supports the work of the European Schoolnet, STEM Alliance and Scientix.

CARES WEBSITE The Project website is live and available for teachers to share and find STEMM Careers resources, ask questions and share best practice via the online teacher forum. The website allows the teaching community to engage with each other to strengthen the overall teaching and learning experience. The project website includes: Information about all partners/project/objectives/outputs/ Dissemination activities Report on STEM skill gap statistics

You can join the teacher forum here and you can also receive regular updates on the project.

CARES AUGMENTED REALITY APP An augmented reality (AR) app, will be an interactive STEMM careers advice app, available for teachers and students. Approximately 30 current and future jobs will be featured, including potential earning, job responsibilities, qualifications needed and other useful information of STEMM specific careers.

Students may have a general idea of what field or interests they want to pursue but aren’t aware or knowledgeable of all of the career opportunities available to them in STEMM fields. This is usually the result of poor careers advice, therefore, this app will help students discover and connect with valuable STEMM education and career options that fulfil their needs.

The app will include a career quiz, which plays an important role in careers exploration and pathways.

The quiz will include multiple choice questions and based on the answers, the system will recommend career matches to the user. Based on the answers, the user will learn the types of work styles that suit them most; including analytical, creative, practical, helping (medical) or administrative roles.

EXPECTED PROJECT IMPACT One of the examples of the

short-term impact would be the knowledge gained about future STEMM

careers

Some of the examples of the

medium impact would be that girls can see themselves in any STEMM role;

increased synergies and links and improved transition between the sectors of education and industry; Promotion of gender-neutral learning environments

Some of the examples of the

long-term impact would be By 2030, 33% of young people moving into

STEMM careers are girls; Time-tabled STEMM-specific CPD for teachers, led by industry, with applied industry experience; Teacher training to include STEMM specific focus on gender awareness and removal of stereotypes